Third Time's the Charm
by I-Am-Kingofgames
Summary: "Come on, 'Yug. You're lonely. Havin' a kid around wouldn't be so bad." He was 15, with scruffy dark brown hair, and he was always one step ahead. He seemed very bright, and he was at the top of Yugi's makeshift dueling class.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

 **Alright, this one's been sitting on my hard drive for quite some time. Computer tells me it was sometime mid 2014 when it was first written, and as such, it probably won't reflect my current skill, but hopefully it's a decent contribution to the fandom anyways!**

 **I'd like to point out that I wasn't the one to come up with the idea of Yugi teaching dueling classes when he's older. I'm not sure who the original creator of that idea is, but I'd like to credit them for that little detail in this story.**

 **Oh, and this one IS multiple chapters.**

 **I've been unsure about posting it for two years, so I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Thanks for reading!**

* * *

It had been a long time since everything Yugi knew and held dear fell apart.

He had made it through, of course. He was sad, but he carried on. He constantly had to push away the empty feeling he had. Losing half of your soul wasn't pleasant, but he knew he would make it through. He would see him again, after all. It would just take time.

He had no idea how true that was.

He was numb after they left Egypt. The silence in his head was too much to handle. After repeatedly subconsciously mentally reaching to feel the spirit's presence, and physically reaching to touch the Puzzle and realizing that neither were there, he finally gave in and cried. He managed to hold it back until then, but it hit him all at once just how alone he was, and that was the beginning of many tears.

The whole group gasped, but weren't too surprised, upon hearing his first heartbroken sob. Anzu immediately pulled him into a gentle hug, and spoke comforting words into his ear. Yugi appreciated their support more than he knew they would ever realize.

He didn't go to college after high school. He didn't need to. He was set for life. People would pay quite a lot of money to duel the world champion, and in the first year after he returned alone, he made enough money to live on for quite some time.

It was hard to get back into dueling, but he did.

Once, just a few weeks after he officially came out of his temporary retirement, the absence of his partner hit him harder than he expected, and he questioned if he had gotten back into it too soon.

It was a simple match, really. It shouldn't have upset him at all. It was against someone he could easily beat, but who was still managing to put up a challenge.

It wasn't until he drew a hand that managed to exactly mimic one in the past, that it hit him. He swore he could almost hear the spirit's voice in his head, telling him he could do it, and advising him on which strategy to go with against this opponent.

It had the opposite effect.

He surrendered, to the horror of the audience, and quickly found a place to be by himself. Perhaps, on second thought, the bathroom wasn't such a good place to mourn. Every time he looked in the mirror, it was a reminder. He could always imagine Yami's face there, just staring back at him, a silent reminder of what he had lost.

He still had a bad habit of talking to himself, even though it really WAS just to himself this time.

His fame continued to skyrocket, as he was still undefeated, and it stayed that way for a few years.

Just after high school ended, Yugi asked Jou to move in with him. The game shop was too big to live in alone, and living alone was harder when one has had even their mind and their SOUL occupied by another being before.

After a few years, when Yugi was more open to talking about it, Jou would ask questions about what it was like, and Yugi would answer them. Things like, "Could you hear everything he thought?"

And usually the answer was long and detailed.

Often, Jou would be surprised, having no idea about what it was really like when Yugi still had the Millennium Puzzle around his neck.

After high school, Anzu got her wish and went to study dance in New York. Yugi missed her, but he wasn't sure they'd be together romantically even if she was still there. Honestly, he was pretty happy with just a roommate.

He ran the game shop, and taught kids how to duel for fun. He still dueled for competitions until he was 30, when he took an extended break from it.

Joey, eventually started dating Mai, and he moved out shortly before their wedding.

Yugi was happy for him, and he even went to the wedding, and congratulated them, but he found that he couldn't live alone.

He got a cat the next day. He named her Isis, "after an old friend" he'd tell anyone who asked, but he found it didn't eliminate his loneliness. It helped, but he still felt alone.

In his 30's Yugi wasn't all that different from when he was a high schooler. He was still recognizable, even though he might have had a couple of early gray hairs.

He was a little taller than he had been when he was 16, almost a normal height. Almost.

He still kept in contact with Kaiba every now and then, and then even played a friendly game of Duel Monsters, even though it always ended up being intense, and much less than "friendly".

Kaiba offered him a job several times, and although he seriously considered it after Jou moved out, something told him it wasn't right. He had enough money, so why take a job, when someone less fortunate could have the slot?

A few weeks after Jou moved out, he realized he couldn't live alone anymore. Not even with his cat as a companion.

It was Jou who suggested adopting.

"Come on, 'Yug. You're lonely. Havin' a kid around wouldn't be so bad."

"Jou, I'm a single middle aged, man. I couldn't take care of a kid by myself..."

"Why not? It wouldn't have to be a baby. There are tons of teens who need homes too."

"I dunno, Jou..."

"I'm just sayin' you should look into it, that's all. Who knows! You could even get a kid from Egypt-"

"Katsuya."

Rarely did anyone call him that. It was Yugi's way of silencing him, of letting him know he was serious about not going any further.

"That part of my life is over." He said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, 'Yug... I didn't mean-"

"It's ok... You really think I could adopt? I mean... I'm not great with kids..."

"Sure 'ya are! I mean, you teach 'em every day, don't you?"

It was true. Yugi had taught hundreds of kids to duel. He liked kids. He could always relate to them on a personal level, never understanding people who grew up to be cold hard adults, like Kaiba.

"I guess so..."

"Just look around, kay? You've got plenty of room, and I know you've got 'da cash."

"Alright, alright..."

At first he wasn't going to. Surely he could live by himself. He was 30 years old now. And although he remembered the day he lost his other half like it was yesterday, it had still been a long time, and he should still have been over it by then... right?

"I still wish you were here..."

He said to the empty room.

That's when he realized that looking for a child to adopt was going to be a far better option than continuing to talk to himself all the time.

The next day, he started his search.

He looked through thousands of teenagers looking for homes, but none of them really struck him as the right one. He wasn't sure how, but he knew that he'd know when he came across the kid who would live with him.

Somehow, word got out that Yugi Mutou was going to adopt.

His card game fame came back tenfold, as every newspaper and magazine in Japan had his face on it, and articles inside questioning whether or not he was ready for children, wondering why he never had any, and where he would adopt one from. They all questioned his motivation.

What really broke his heart, is that his dueling classes suddenly doubled in size, and what he came to realize was that half of the kids there were orphans. They had heard, and they were hoping to get on his good side, and find a home with him.

His dueling classes were basically his day job, even though he taught the kids for free.

Duel Monsters was something he would always have a passion for, and sharing that passion was something he was happy to do.

There were a couple of kids he was close to, who always attended his classes, but now that the classes had gotten so much bigger, it was harder to keep track of them all.

He liked Kurosaki, the 8 year old with a burning passion for machine types.

He was close with Akira, the 13 year old, who happened to love the Dark Magician.

But some of his newer students were smart and talented kids, as well, even if half of them joined just so they could have the chance of being adopted. Yugi honestly wasn't considering adopting any of them. He just didn't feel like it was right.

One boy in particular really caught his attention, though.

Tobias, from America.

He spoke pretty fluent Japanese, even though he looked American, or at least foreign. He was immensely interested in the game, and he was a bit better at it than most of Yugi's students.

He was 15, with scruffy dark brown hair, and he was always one step ahead. He seemed very bright, and he was at the top of Yugi's makeshift dueling class. Sometimes the kids would stay and help clean the shop, or put new merchandise on the shelves, after class.

Yugi got to know a lot of them quite well.

Koharu's mom was nearly always late, but he didn't mind. He liked having the kids in the shop, even if it was sometimes hard to keep up with them all. It was less lonely that way.

Some of the older kids actually got around to talking to him about things other than card games, after classes.

"Ne, Yugi-Sensei! Have you seen the new communicator watches?! Kaiba-corp even makes one!"

"Wow! I'm pretty behind the times, aren't I, still using a cell phone."

"Nah, sensei, you're cool!"

"Thanks guys." Yugi would say, with a fond smile.

Tobias was always one of the students who stayed late. He had kind eyes, wise for a kid his age, and deep green, a beautiful color, much different than a lot of the Japanese kids who showed up.

After a while, a small group started staying later and later, until eventually, he was feeding them lunch, too, in the summers.

Tobias, and Mashiro, and a girl named Akihiko.

He had taken to calling Tobias "Tobi", and nicknamed the other two "Hiro" and "Aki".

The other two complained a little at the nicknames, to which Yugi would reply,

"I'm getting old, guys, I can't remember long names and stuff anymore." with a small laugh.

The summer was halfway over, when things started happening.

"Yuugi Sensei?", Tobi asked one day after lunch.

"Hm?"

"Would... it be alright if I stayed a little later?"

"Of course, Tobi. Come to think of it, I've never asked about your parents. Who picks you up during the day?"

Yugi and Tobi were fairly close, in a teacher-student sort of relationship.

He stayed after class almost every time there was one, and he and Yugi had gotten to know each other fairly well during the summer.

"I...I'm scared you'll kick me out of class if I tell you."

"Of course I won't kick you out of class! You're my best student, after all!" Yugi said lightheartedly.

"I... I don't have parents." He finally said, with a little trouble.

"Oh... I see. It's alright Tobi, you're always welcome in my class. You don't have parents?"

"No... I haven't for a while now...there's... a homeless shelter downtown...I walk here for classes."

Yugi's eyes went wide with shock.

"You... walk here?"

He nodded.

"Every time there's a class?"

"I... don't want to miss any... I didn't come here for the same reason as all the other kids. I gave up on getting adopted, Yuugi-Sensei. I just like learning about Duel Monsters."

"Tobi..."

Yugi was shocked. Utterly shocked. He wouldn't have admit it, but Tobi was his favorite student. He actually put up a good fight when they last dueled, and Yugi was always happy to teach him anything he knew. He hadn't been considering adopting any of the kids in his class, but... He assumed Tobi had a happy home life. He assumed his loving mother came to pick him up after every class. He assumed he had siblings to duel with, and fight with.

"Yuugi-Sensei?"

They were sitting in Yugi's dining room, snacking on whatever he had around.

"Mhm?"

"What do you do when all the students leave?"

He hadn't expected that question...

"Well, I... When you all leave, it's just Isis and I." He said, petting said cat, who was in his lap.

"Oh... are you ever lonely?"

"I... Yes. That's why I got Isis in the first place." The cat meowed as if in response.

"I'm sorry, Sensei... being lonely is no fun."

"Tobi?"

"Yes, Sensei?"

Tobias was always polite, even for a Japanese person, and he was American. Always polite, and well spoken.

"Where will you go after you leave here?"

"I'll go back to the shelter like I always do..."

If Yugi made this decision now, there might not be any going back. But if he didn't, he might not get the chance again.

"Tobias..."

"Y-Yes Sensei?"

He was a little shaken at being called by his full first name by Yugi, as opposed to his nickname. Yugi always used his nickname.

"How would you like to stay here with me? You don't have to, of course. I'll keep you in my class either way. But... if you wanted a little more... stable roof over your head... my door is always open."

"S-Sensei... you'd really...?"

"I'd adopt you, Tobi. The rumors were true. I'm lonely, so I was looking for someone to adopt. Someone who could take care of themselves, but still keep me company..."

"Sensei...I could... I could really live here with you?"

Yugi and Tobi had created quite the bond, over the summer. Yugi enjoyed having him around, and Tobi seemed to enjoy Yugi, as well.

"You could really live here. I'd like the company, Tobi..."

Yugi could see the tears in his eyes, as he tried to keep his composure.

"Y-Yuugi Sensei... Could I... could I come back today? I could get my backpack from the shelter and come back... is that ok?"

"Of course... Who... who owns you, Tobi? The city? Who has legal rights?"

"I think... there's an orphanage in a city just south of here. I think they still have legal custody. You... You'd really adopt me, Sensei? I... I wasn't lying about having given up..."

"I'd love you to live with me, Tobi. I've been lonely since my roommate moved out. Of course, you'll have to ignore my bad habit of talking to myself." Yugi said, with a smile.

Without warning, Tobi threw Yugi into a hug.

Yugi didn't realize he was crying, until the boy spoke.

"Th-thank you... thank you..."


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Yugi drove into the next city, to legally adopt Tobi. He learned his history from the woman running the place.

"Tobias? Good kid. Shipped him to Domino, did we? He went for summer camp, but I heard the camp wasn't doing so hot. Called and said they'd lost some kids. He'd been living at a shelter? Well, I suppose it doesn't matter, now!"

"What about his parents?" Yugi asked, "Do you know anything about them?"

"Yeah. Lived with his dad after his mom left him as a baby. His dad got shipped out here from America in the army, and they lived on base. Horrible accident, really, the kid's dad."

"What happened?"

"All he was doing was crossing the street. The man was in the army, and a regular car was what did him in. Tobias has been here ever since he was 9." The woman said, shaking her head sadly.

"Well, I'll sign whatever you need, and I'll pay whatever it takes. He's mine, now."

"Yes sir, Mr Mutou."

It took a few hours of paperwork, and it was going to take weeks of processing time, until Yugi called in a favor.

"Kaiba? I... I'm trying to adopt a boy, and I need a favor."

"You're adopting?"

Kaiba asked, the harsh edge suddenly missing from his voice.

"Yeah...they say the paperwork is going to take two weeks to go through, but I don't want him to have to go back to the orphanage. Anything you can do?"

"It'll be done by tonight."

"Thank you, Seto." Yugi said, risking using Kaiba's first name.

"Yugi..." he started, his voice strangely soft, "...you made a good choice."

And he hung up.

Yugi was beyond excited to get home that night, knowing that the kid would likely be waiting on him.

When he got in the door, he found shoes that weren't his beside it.

"I'm home!" he called, already loving the feeling of communication with someone other than his cat.

"Sensei!"

"As of 20 minutes ago, you are Tobias James Mutou."

Tobi looked up at him, everything about his face sincere, and his eyes showing age he didn't have.

"Thank you."

"I'll have to set up Jou's old room for you, but first, how about we call for pizza?"

"Could we really?!"

"Sure! Do you want to eat in the dining room, or the living room? We could always watch a movie."

"C-Could we... watch tv?"

"Of course, whatever you want to do. This is a night to celebrate!"

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Sensei."

"Tobi? Call me Yugi. Just Yugi."

"O-Okay...Yuugi..."

Tobias always stretched out the "u" in his name, which was interesting because it was a Japanese native thing to do. His name was technically spelled that way, but since he got famous, he let the second 'u' drop, so that English speakers could spell his name more easily.

They ended up on the couch that night, under a blanket, Isis the cat sitting on Yugi's left side, and Tobi asleep against his right shoulder.

For the first time in a long time, Yugi wasn't lonely. He nearly felt... complete, again.

He slept more peacefully that night than he had in a long time.

* * *

When Yugi woke up, he didn't move, as he realized there was still a teenager sleeping against his shoulder.

He carefully checked the clock on his cell phone which he'd left nearby.

12:00PM. Oops.

"Tobi." He whispered.

"C'mon. Time to get up."

He jerked awake, and seemed to suddenly realize where he was.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean...I'm sorry, Sensei."

"It's alright, Tobi. And what did I say about dropping the "sensei"?" Yugi smiled at him, letting him know it was ok.

"Right... sorry Yuugi.."

"It's alright. What do you want for breakfast? I could probably figure out how to whip something up, or, we could go out."

"You don't have to take me out, it's ok..."

"Tobi, I'm going to be honest with you. I have more money than I could ever spend in a lifetime. I know it may not look like it, since I live in a little place like this, but it's true. Besides, I'm still celebrating!"

"We could... really go out for _breakfast_?"

"Mhm! Go brush your hair and I'll meet you at the door."

Yugi knew Tobi wasn't as shy as he was acting. He saw it when he dueled. He was confident almost to the point of being cocky. Yugi hoped that the longer they lived together, the more he'd see that side of him. The confident, sly, sarcastic side.

"This is so cool..."

Tobi said suddenly, at breakfast.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you've never been out for breakfast before."

"No, I mean... It's been a long time since I've had someone treat me this way."

"Oh... Well, this is the beginning of your new life, Tobi. You can live with me for as long as you want."

"Thank you Se-...I mean,... Y-Yuugi..."

There was something vaguely familiar about the way Tobi said his name, but he decided to ignore it for the time being.

Yugi was overjoyed to finally have someone living with him again. Even though he was 32, he never did look his age, and he still looked around 20. His height, although being better than it was when he was 16, still left him looking a little younger than he was.

He had completely cleared out what Jou had left behind in his room, and told Tobi to decorate it however he saw fit. Yugi's room didn't look like that of a 32 year old. He had never moved out of his old room. He didn't see the need to. Although it had considerably changed since he was a kid, most of what was different, was that he had more awards, and professional cases for his Duel Monsters figures.

Anyone guessing might say the room belonged to a 18 year old kid.

Yugi liked it that way.

Occasionally, he wondered if his soul room still looked the same. Somehow, he doubted it. He hadn't ever been able to visit it, since... since...

He wouldn't let himself think like that. He couldn't get caught up in those thoughts again. Not with Tobi here.

Sometimes it felt like centuries passed since he was 16, and sometimes it felt like 10 minutes had passed.

Yugi was enjoying his new life with his new friend, and all went well for the first few weeks. It wasn't until after that, that things started to happen again.

It was at breakfast one morning, which Yugi had decided to cook himself, that Tobi said the first strange thing.

"Yuugi?"

"Hm?"

"I've got... the strangest feeling of... deja-vu..."

"Really? Well, that's weird. We used to sit and talk here sometimes, after class, didn't we? Is that what you're remembering?"

"No... it feels deeper than that. I suppose it's nothing." He said smiling. The day went on normally, but that comment stuck with Yugi. It was odd, and normally people would have passed it off as nothing, but Yugi had been involved in too much... magic... to pass those things off as normal. When something like that happened to him, it meant something.

After school started back up, and Tobi was successfully enrolled in Domino High, Yugi celebrated his 16th birthday with him.

Not long after, word finally got out that he was living there, and his face made it on to several magazines.

"I hope you don't mind..." Yugi said to him one afternoon after school.

"What do you mean? My face is on the cover of "Duelist International"! This is awesome!"

"Good." Yugi said, knowing that his fame was going to cause issues sooner or later.

"You know, you're a pretty good duelist, too." Yugi said, "Those articles don't mention it, but if Kaiba had another tournament, you'd give me a run for my money!"

"Y-Yuugi..." he blushed, "I'm not _that_ good."

"No Tobi, you're amazing. You've come the closest to beating me since... well, it's been a long time..."

Tobi looked at him carefully, deciding whether or not to keep the subject going. Yugi seemed pretty open about it, so he decided to keep talking.

"...How long?"

"Hmm. About... 16 or 17 years."

"Gosh, Yuugi! That's as long as I am old!"

"I'm pretty old, aren't I."

"Nah, you're still cool in my book." He grinned at his father figure.

"Oh, hey, Yuugi?"

"Yeah?"

"You've told me about all of the field spell cards, right?"

"Uhhh... yup. As far as I know. Why?"

"I remember one from somewhere, but maybe it's banned or something? I haven't seen it in play, I just remember it."

"Well, what's it called?"

He looked thoughtful, and Yugi had no idea that his peaceful moment was about to be shattered.

"The Seal of Orichalcos."

Yugi's heart stopped.

"Tobias. Where did you hear that?"

"I... I didn't, I just remember it."

"That card... isn't used anymore. It hasn't been, since before you were born."

"Really? Huh. That's weird... I wonder where I remember it from."

"Can you tell me what it does?"

"I..." , he laughed a little, "What I remember can't possibly be right, so maybe I saw it as a prank somewhere."

"Well? What do you remember?"

"The Seal gives your monsters power... but at the end of the duel... the loser... loses their soul.

Y-Yuugi, something's telling me that's right. How could that be right? Isn't it just a card game?"

Yugi sighed, realizing that he'd have to think back to that time again, for a minute.

"You're right. That's exactly what it does. Tobi, there's a lot about this game that I haven't told you."

"Really? I thought you taught me everything, _Sensei_." Tobi said smirking.

"I'll tell you about it someday. For now, eat breakfast, or you'll be late for school."

"Gah! You're right! I'll see 'ya later, Yuugi!" He said, as he stuffed a couple of chocolate chip pancakes in his mouth and took off running for the door.

The mention of that card had shaken Yugi to the core. He hadn't heard it's name spoken out loud for a long time. Too long. He never thought he'd have to hear it again. Where could Tobi possibly have heard of it? It was considered a rumor, at best, in the dueling world these days, and no one knew what it did. Only Yugi. He was the only one who took what it did seriously anymore, besides maybe Mai, but she didn't duel anymore. She hadn't, since their first child.

So where had his young companion heard about it? He said he remembered it. But how could he remember a card that hadn't been used since before his birth? Swirling thoughts like those continued to bother Yugi for quite a while after that, but nothing else strange happened for a while.

Life was peaceful, with a kid around the house, even if he was a teenager.

Everything was perfectly normal, until Yugi woke up one night to hear his door creaking open. Tobi thought he was asleep. The boy was shaking. Yugi was tempted to rush over and make sure he was ok, but his curiosity kept him from moving, at least for the moment.

Tobi sobbed once, and proceeded to lay on the floor, close to Yugi's bed. If he knew Yugi was awake, he'd probably leave. Why was he there, anyway? Yugi waited until he was sure Tobi was asleep, and then he carefully got out of bed, picked him up, and put him in his bed. There was a pretty comfortable chair in his room, and he decided to sleep there, instead. He smiled at the boy now sleeping peacefully in his bed, before falling asleep himself in his chair.

As has been proven many times over, most teenage boys are hard to wake up in the morning.

"Tobi."

"Mmmph. Fivemoreminutes."

"Tobi, it's time to get up."

"ButYuugiIdon't-." He stopped dead, seeming to realize that he wasn't in his own bed.

He bolted upright, and looked around.

"Yuugi! Why am I-..? I'm sorry!"

Yugi smiled at him, concerned, but loving.

"It's alright, Tobi." he said as he sat on the edge of the bed, "Now, care to tell me why you were so upset last night?"

"You... You saw that...?"

Yugi nodded.

"I'm so sorry... it was stupid, just a nightmare."

"Nightmares aren't stupid. You can tell me about it, if you want."

"Yuugi, you didn't sleep in that chair, did you...?"

"That doesn't matter."

"I'm sorry... I just... I couldn't be alone, after that..."

"What happened?"

Something obviously had him shaken.

"It was... so strange."

Yugi waited for him to continue.

"I was completely and utterly alone. I couldn't see, or hear, or feel anything. Just, darkness... and loneliness..."

Yugi tried not to let his worry show through, so he wouldn't scare Tobi, but hearing this unnerved him.

"I... it felt so long..."

"How long?" Yugi questioned casually. Once again, Tobi's answer managed to scare him more than he allowed to show.

"Millennia."

Yugi was shaken out of his scared thoughts by a sob. Tobi was crying again.

"Shh, it's ok. You aren't alone. I'm here."

Yugi pulled him into a casual hug.

"I..." he said in between sobs, "I'll be late for school..."

"It's Saturday."

"Oh Yuugi... I've never had a dream that felt so... real..."

"Well, it's alright. It's over now. Come on, why don't we get some breakfast."

"Y-Yuugi wait..."

"Mhm?"

"Don't leave me. Please..."

"Tobias... don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

Yugi didn't leave his side at all that day. He seemed completely shaken by his nightmare, down to his very core.

And Yugi was concerned about it, as well. His answer as to how long he had been alone is really what had Yugi completely stunned. _Millennia_ , he said. It could be a coincidence, but he doubted it. When was anything ever, in his life? Everything in Yugi's life seemed to have reason. Plus, he somehow knew about cards he shouldn't have, and now this? He didn't like where that was going. He didn't like where it was leading.

Unfortunately for Yugi, strange things continued to happen.

One day when Tobi left his school notebook on the table, Yugi glanced at it absentmindedly, and saw something that shocked him.

"Tobi, what's this?"

"What? Oh. I was doodling in class."

"Yes, but what were you doodling?"

"I dunno," he shrugged, "It was just something on my mind, so I doodled it."

Yugi stared back down at the nearly perfect drawing of the Millennium Puzzle.

"Well, it's very good."

"That? It's just a doodle..."

"Got a name for it?"

Yugi was trying to remain as casual as he could, but he really didn't like where this was going.

"Hmm... Something tells me it's a puzzle, but that's what it looks like when it's finished. I dunno, it's an odd shape for a puzzle, but it sort of fits... I thought it looks kind of Egyptian, doesn't it?"

"It does. Did you see it somewhere?"

Surely that was all this was. He had seen Yugi wearing it in one of his pictures. That was all.

"No. I was just doodling things in class, and that came to mind. Why?"

"You've never seen it before?"

"What do you mean, Yuugi? I thought I made it up..."

He walked across the room, pulling a photo album from the bookshelf, and flipping through it until he found a picture from all the way back in Duelist Kingdom. He definitely had the Puzzle in that one.

"Look." he said, pointing to the picture, "Look familiar?"

"Whoa! It's like my drawing came to life! Wait, it's real? That was YOU? You owned it?"

Yugi sighed.

"It was called the Millennium Puzzle. It... I don't own it anymore... not since..." Yugi paused, not even liking his own words, "not since before you were born."

"Whoa... that's really weird..."

Despite how much that concerned Yugi, he managed to let it go.


	3. Chapter 3

Yugi was trying to forget any of the strange things were happening at all, Until something else strange happened.

"Ne, Yuugi?"

Tobi said one day at breakfast again.

"Mhm?"

"Do you believe in past lives?"

Yugi stopped what he was doing.

"Why?"

He tried not to look too surprised.

"I was just thinking about it... it kind of feels like I've been around longer than 16 years, ya'know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean... I think everybody feels like that at some point in their lives."

"Well, no... I mean... Yuugi, it feels like I've known you for longer than I have..."

"What do you mean, Tobi?"

He looked down, not wanting to meet Yugi's eyes.

"I... sometimes I remember weird things. Crazy stuff that can't have happened. But.. most of it, has something to do with you."

"Alright, like what?" Yugi tried not to panic.

"They weren't just card games, were they."

Yugi put his tablet down. They stopped printing newspapers years ago, so he found that he could get news even faster on a tablet.

"I guess it's time I told you..."

Tobi looked insanely curious, and Yugi found the curiosity in his eyes to be painfully familiar, but he didn't let himself think about it.

"You can't tell everyone. Alright?"

"I won't tell anyone!"

Now he looked nearly excited. Maybe Yugi was over thinking it. Maybe it had absolutely nothing to do with the past.

"They weren't just card games. Not even close."

"Yami no games..."

"What did you say?" Yugi stared at him in shock. Only a handful of people ever used that term, and this child certainly wasn't one of them.

"That's what they're called. Right?"

"Yes. How did you know that?"

"I'm not sure... I just do."

Yugi sighed. Surely this wasn't going in the direction his brain was telling him over and over that it was going.

"Well, you're right. That's what they were called. And my Puzzle? The Millennium Puzzle... it wasn't just a necklace..."

"It was really important, wasn't it?"

"It was... I haven't told anyone but my closest friends this... but a spirit was sealed within it."

"A spirit?"

"The spirit of an Ancient Pharaoh." It still hurt Yugi to say. Even after all this time, he still missed him.

Tobi's eyes were wide with wonder.

"What does that mean?"

"Well, you know all those famous pictures of "me" dueling? At Battle City, and at Duelist Kingdom?"

"Yeah!"

"It wasn't me."

"It was the spirit." He concluded way faster than Yugi would have liked, "You were... he... you were _possessed_?"

"Well, that's a pretty cruel sounding way to put it, but yes..."

"But he wasn't cruel to you, was he?"

"No."

"You were friends, weren't you..."

"Tobi, how do you know all this? How could you _possibly_ know any of this?"

"Yuugi, this makes so much sense!"

The determined look in Tobi's eyes was so familiar.

"What makes sense?"

Yugi was in shock. He knew, some part of his brain knew where this was going, and he absolutely wasn't going to accept it. He was always too hopeful. He was always seeing things that weren't there, in the name of hope.

"You remember what I said about past lives...?"

Yugi nodded, finding himself nearly incapable of speech.

"What if... what if I had one..."

"And? What does that have to do with it?"

"Your Puzzle... the Spirit... what if it was me?"

The words Yugi never wanted to hear. The words he had been dreading since he heard him speak the Seal's name. He had to ground himself in order to keep talking. That was obviously insane. That couldn't be. He had put the spirit to rest. He had sent him to the afterlife nearly... nearly 17 years ago...

"Tobias, that's crazy."

"No, Yuugi, I remember it!"

"No you don't."

Yugi absolutely refused to believe it.

"Then tell me why I remember you?"

"You live with me, Tobi."

"Tell me why I remember this house way better than I should?"

"Once again, you live here."

"Tell me why I know where you kept the God Cards!"

Tobi was nearly to tears.

"What...?"

"In the box the Puzzle was in, on the top shelf of your closet!"

"How? How did you know that?"

"I told you how!"

They were full on yelling at each other.

"You aren't him!"

"What if I am?!"

"HE'S GONE, TOBI."

"...how long ago, Yuugi. How many years ago did you send him to the afterlife?"

More things he shouldn't have known.

"I...17. It was 17 years ago, next week."

"And how old am I."

"Tobi, that's insane! He's gone!"

"Maybe I'm not."

"Stop it!"

Yugi said, clenching his teeth trying to keep his tears back.

"I remember things I shouldn't, Yuugi. It started after I moved in..." His face turned curious again, "Who's Anzu?"

"Tobi..."

"Why don't you believe me?"

"Because it's impossible."

"It's not impossible... don't you believe in reincarnation?"

"Not... not this time. Not this time. He's at rest, Tobi. He's at peace."

"But what if I wasn't? What if I was reincarnated?"

"Stop saying "I". You're not him. End of story."

"Aibou..."

Yugi was certain his heart stopped.

"What... what did you say."

"That's what I called you, isn't it? Aibou."

"Don't. Don't you dare." His tears finally started falling. "Don't bring this up again." Yugi wasn't quick to get angry. He never was. But once he was angry, at least, at this age, he was hard to cool down.

"Don't speak about him again."

"I-I'm sorry..."

He needed time to process everything that had just been said.

Anyone could have known some of that. Maybe his nickname was a wild guess. It could have easily been a guess, Yugi decided. It was a normal word in Japanese. Just, not one he was called often. But it was a guess. This kid had heard stories, and spent too much time online, that's all.


	4. Chapter 4

Tobi dropped the subject of reincarnation and Yugi's beloved ancient spirit. He didn't mention it again. It created distance between them, but Yugi was happy to leave the past in the past. He was certain that his young friend was himself. No one else. He did notice the slightly different looks Tobi would give him, now. Smiles. Warm looks. As if he had missed him. He wasn't acting all that different. Only noticeably so. And all of that seemed to be sturdy information, until Yugi woke up to quiet crying again one night.

"Tobi...?"

"Y-Yuugi... I'm sorry... I'll leave if you want..."

"No, that's alright... what's wrong?"

Yugi asked, turning on the light on his bedside table.

"It's... it's nothing. I'm sorry... go back to sleep."

Yugi was pretty awake now, and he hated seeing Tobi so upset.

"It doesn't look like nothing, Tobi..."

"You...said not to talk about it, so I'm not... I just... never mind... I'll be quiet... can I just... would it be ok if I just sat in here...?"

So this did have something to do with before.

"Tobi... you can tell me."

"I said," he said in between crying, "I said I wouldn't talk about it..."

"Well, it's alright. You can tell me, now."

"Are you sure...?"

"I'm sure."

"O-Okay..."

He had to finish his crying before he could speak. Yugi was patient with him, hating seeing him in so much obvious pain.

"I... I remember leaving you."

That was a more shocking statement than Yugi expected.

"What do you mean...?"

"I remember... I remember leaving you... I don't know how I did it, Yuugi..."

Yugi stopped to think about it. He looked genuinely upset. Whatever this was, he thought it was real.

"Well, it's ok, I'm here now."

"You... still don't believe me, do you..."

"Tobi, I..." He sighed. No. He didn't believe him. Not at all.

"Do you realize how much it hurt to leave you? I knew... I knew you'd be alright by yourself, but... I never wanted to leave you, Aibou..."

Yugi felt tears behind his eyes. He sounded so... so sincere... so serious...

"Did Jou tell you? About that day? Is that what this is?"

"No. I remember it."

"Tobi... you're not him. You're just not."

"But I am."

"No... you can't be."

"I... I remember more, if you need proof... I've remembered a lot since that day we talked about it... but I haven't told you, because you said not to..."

"Tobi, none of it is real..."

"Alright, how about I tell you what I remember and _you_ tell me if it's real."

Yugi nodded, knowing this might end up being painful.

"I remember... the years upon years my spirit spent sealed within the Puzzle."

"Go on." Yugi said, knowing that he easily could have made that up.

"I... I don't remember waking up, but I know we started talking around the end of Duelist Kingdom."

Scarily accurate... 'Jou told him...' Yugi thought.

"I remember, clearly, what it feels like to not be... alive."

"Describe it."

Yugi said, knowing that he'd be able to compare it to his experience when he'd stand beside his own body, watching it be controlled by someone else.

"Well, you can't feel anything."

"Go on."

"It's sort of... Yuugi, you know it's nearly impossible to describe."

"Try."

"It's indescribable, because it feels like nothing. You can't feel. You literally can't feel anything... I couldn't even feel your hands in mine..."

Part of Yugi hated how old his friend was suddenly sounding. He'd always seen age in his eyes, but now it was becoming apparent in his voice, too.

"You... you're not...you're not..." Yugi stuttered.

"I am."

"It's impossible..."

"Haven't I always been impossible, Yuugi?"

"No... you're not him... it can't be..."

"You need more proof?"

Yugi nodded, knowing that if he tried to talk much more, he'd start crying.

"I have a theory."

Yugi nodded again.

"Do you remember the second night after I moved in, and I fell asleep on your shoulder?"

Oh good, things that actually made sense, sort of.

"Y-Yes..."

"Did it feel as good to you as it did to me...? Did it feel like you were... complete?"

"Tobi..."

"Did it?"

"Yes... yes. I felt... more complete than I've felt in..."

"17 years?"

Yugi nodded.

"So..." Yugi never could have expected him to do what he did next.

"You want proof?"

He walked up to Yugi who was sitting up in bed, and pulled him close, letting his head rest over his heart.

"This is your proof."

Despite his shock, Yugi closed his eyes. There it was again. He felt complete. Complete in a way he hadn't felt since the night on the couch.

"Do you feel that?"

"Y-Yes..." Yugi said through the tears he was having considerable trouble holding back.

"It's because... we're two halves of the same soul... so, when we're close... we're complete."

"But you... you're just a kid... I..."

"I don't remember everything, Yuugi. But I remember enough to know who I am, now. Or, who I was."

"But... but..."

Yugi started crying. Nearly sobbing. In that moment, his age was completely irrelevant. He was 16. He was just Yugi, standing in front of giant gates, watching the other half of his soul leave him. He was just small young innocent Yugi, always relying on his other self to help him when he was in need.

"Mou... hitori no b-boku..."

"I have waited a long time to hear you say that..."

"I-I'm sorry..." Yugi sobbed, having completely reverted to exactly how he was the moment his other half left him. "You're...not supposed to be here... you're supposed to... be at peace...I..."

"Shh, it's ok, Aibou. I've got another chance to live, now. And, with you, no less."

He let Yugi cry for a little while. It couldn't be sure if Yugi was completely accepting yet, but at least right now, he was talking like he was.

"I don't think I was supposed to remember." He said eventually, "I was reincarnated, and I think it was another chance at life, since mine ended so soon after it began...twice. But I did remember. Maybe it was fate. Maybe whatever is up there watching over us, wanted it that way. Maybe I _**was**_ supposed to remember. Either way, I'm glad I did."

"Y-Yami..." Yugi was still crying. "It's... it's you, isn't it... this... this is really you..."

"It's really me, Aibou. Did you miss me?"

Yugi hit him, even though it wasn't nearly hard enough to hurt him.

" _S-Seventeen_ years. Seventeen _years_ , Yami!"

"It's been a while, hasn't it."

Yugi broke down in sobs again. When he was finally calm enough to talk again, he had questions.

"I... I don't understand... how are you... you're two people?"

"No, I've always been the same person... think back, Yuugi. Have I really ever been different?"

Yugi thought back to when he was still teaching him as a student, before he had any idea of any of this. Come to think of it, watching him duel had been mesmerizing. He called out his attacks the same way, he was the same amount of arrogantly confident. He always had the same curiosity, and determination, and the way he said Yugi's name... always the way only his friends said it, and not people who knew him for his fame.

"You know... I've missed hearing your thoughts ever since I remembered what that felt like."

All at once Yugi was hit with long since buried memories of what it felt like to hear another person's thoughts, and even feel their emotions.

"Y-You have no idea... how much I've missed you..." Yugi managed to get out, yawning.

"You're tired. We can talk more tomorrow... for now I'll let you sleep." And he headed for his bedroom.

"W-Wait!"

"Hm?"

"I... I can't watch you walk through another door. Don't leave me..."

"Yuugi... of course. I'm not going anywhere. Not this time."

He sat beside him, but didn't dare to touch him yet.

"Mou hitori no boku...?"

Yugi was back to sounding unconvinced.

"Mm?"

"I... I'm dreaming, aren't I..."

He laughed.

"No, Yuugi. You're not."

"You... you're really back...? You've been with me this whole time? The whole time you've lived with me...? How long... have you been sure...? How long have you known...?"

"I tried to tell you when I started to realize it, Yuugi... you wouldn't listen."

"Then... this is why you haven't been talking to me, lately..."

He nodded.

"Every day since I first realized it, I've been remembering more, and you told me not to mention it again, so I didn't."

Yugi yawned again.

"Please don't let this be a dream... I've had so many... just not this time... just this once, let it be real..."

"I'm right here, Yuugi. It's real."

"If... if you leave me again... I couldn't handle it... if I wake up and you're not there...I'll...I'll..."

Yami finally pulled him close, wrapping his arms around him, and their souls touched, craving the closeness they once had. Yugi closed his eyes and leaned in to his hug, loving the comfort he hadn't felt in over a decade.

"Sleep, Yuugi."

His eyes shot open.

"N-No..."

When there was no reply, he kept talking.

"I-I can't... what if you're not here when I wake up..."

"I won't leave you, Aibou. Rest now, and you can fill in some memory gaps for me tomorrow, ok?"

"But..."

"Hikari. We're back together now, and it's going to be a very long time before we have to be apart again. I'll still be here in the morning. You can sleep."

"Would you... stay with me?"

"Of course. I'm not going anywhere.", he said, his arms still wrapped around Yugi.

"I thought I'd never get to see you again...especially not... like this... not... alive..."

"And I never thought I'd get the chance to hug you."

"Please let this be real." Yugi said again, with his eyes closed, fighting sleep, "please... just this once... just let me have this once..."

"It's real, Yuugi. I promise."

Yugi never replied.

He had fallen asleep in the others arms.

And for the first time in a long time, he slept peacefully.


	5. Chapter 5

Yugi yawned and stretched, covering his eyes from the bright light coming through the window, and his feet hit the floor, when the memories of what had happened the night before hit him.

Was it a dream?

He frantically looked around his room, and found himself alone.

Of course it was a dream. Of course. He fought back tears. Why would those dreams start again? He'd had them almost every night back when he was 16, but they'd been happening less and less over the years, even if they'd never disappeared completely. Why would those kinds of dreams suddenly return now?

He sleepily made himself walk into the rest of the house. School had just ended for the year a few days before, so his young friend would be home, and he'd probably still be asleep.

Yugi wasn't entirely sure he could face him, after that.

Was it really a dream?

It had to be.

But then, what about the Seal? What about the talk they'd had? Was he thinking about it too much?

To his surprise, the kitchen light was on.

"Oh, you're awake! Good morning, Yuugi!"

Yugi hated the fact that he was having to fight back tears, even then.

"What... are you doing up so early? It's summer now, right?"

"Well, after last night, I figured I'd get up early and make you breakfast."

"Last night?"

Yugi met the other's eyes, and again he saw age that the boy didn't have. His expression was much older than what should have been on the face of someone his age. His shock melted into a warm smile.

"You think it was a dream, don't you."

Yugi was in complete shock for a second. It wasn't a dream? But he couldn't possibly be that lucky, could he? It can't have really happened. His tears threatened to fall, at the memory of the words he'd heard last night, so typical of something his other half would have said. He had hundreds of dreams like that. Dreams where he'd come back, dreams where he'd never left, dreams where Yugi had passed on, and gotten to see him again. Every time, he'd wake up feeling cold and alone.

The boy dropped everything he was doing, and crossed the room to pull Yugi into what must have been the most meaningful hug he'd ever felt. He held him close, arms all the way around him, younger and stronger than Yugi himself had been in a long time.

The beautiful feeling of their souls being so close came back. The feeling of finally being complete again, after nearly two decades.

"It wasn't a dream. I'm here, Aibou."

Yugi felt his tears finally streaming down his face, as he moved to wrap his arms around the other.

"It... it was real...?"

"Every second of it."

"So... you're... you're..."

It seemed it would take even more persuasion to get Yugi to believe it, now that he was fully awake.

"My soul was once sealed inside the Millennium Puzzle. Yes. It's me. It took me a while to realize it, but it's me..."

He pulled back just enough to look into Yugi's eyes, the warm look he reserved only for his Aibou gracing his features.

Yugi looked back at him, the familiarity in his expression painful.

"T-Tell me... something only you could know... something... Jou couldn't have told you..."

Although his next expression was one that Yugi found equally as painfully familiar, he didn't expect it. He was smirking as if he had that perfect winning card in his hand.

He bowed his head until his forehead was against Yugi's, and he closed his eyes.

What happened next made Yugi gasp and he nearly choked.

For the first time in 17 years, he felt an emotion not his own.

Love. Not the romantic lust most people use the word for. Just, love. Pure, clean, untainted, love.

Yugi closed his own eyes, mentally reaching without even realizing he was, and although he couldn't feel his Yami's mind like he used to be able to, he was seeing images.

At first it was hard to tell it wasn't his own brain coming up with them and throwing them at him, to mock him.

And then, they became clearer.

He recognized the duel with Kaiba, on top of the tower in Duelist Kingdom. Only, this was just before he was awake. It was from his point of view, but it wasn't his memory.

A flash, and suddenly, he was watching himself and his friends on a giant Monster World board. This must have been what Yami had seen. It was his point of view.

It was his memory, Yugi realized.

And if he was really seeing his memory, seeing it from a point of view that he couldn't have seen it from himself, then that meant...

Another flash and he saw himself enveloped in green light, smiling gently, saying goodbye.

Somewhere distantly, in the real world, he felt a hand suddenly holding his own. Tightly.

But it didn't stop there.

He saw what happened moments after he'd let his soul get taken by the seal. Despite how often Yami had shared his memories with him in the past, this is one that he'd never let Yugi see.

Fast forward, and he saw his own face with an evil smirk, and the seal on his forehead. He heard himself fling horrible words and insults at his darker half, and then he'd seen himself take the final blow, as the duel ended.

And he saw himself fading, his eyes closing, and spirit becoming transparent, right before the other's eyes. He heard himself tell him what a good job he did, and that he'd always be with him.

For the first time ever, he heard what Yami's agonized scream after his spirit faded, sounded like.

He saw his own soul floating in front of him, and vaguely, through Yami's memories, he felt how glorious it was to have his soul returned after what had felt like years of being alone.

He heard a voice coming from the real world, and it slowly pulled him back.

"Could Jou have told me that?"

It was Yugi's turn to throw his arms around him, clinging desperately.

"Yami..." Yugi clung onto him as if he'd fade away if he let go "Yami..."

"Do you believe me now?" He said gently.

Yugi was crying, but he somehow managed to say

"I... I _missed_ you..."

He led Yugi to the dining room table.

"Here, sit." Yugi was still crying. "We have a lot to talk about, hm?"

Yugi nodded, through his tears.

"Wha-what do...I call you, now...?"

He sat across from Yugi as he answered.

"I don't see why you don't still call me Tobi. It is my name, after all. And, I happen to like it."

Yugi nodded again.

"But... if you still want to use the nickname you gave me back then, I won't mind."

"I missed you...Seventeen years...it's been so long, Yami..." Yugi was drying his eyes with his hands, looking more like 8 years old in that moment, than 32.

"It's been a while, hasn't it... you look older, Yuugi."

"This is so... so strange..."

"After everything that's happened to you, _**this**_ is the strange thing?"

Yugi laughed, a warped sound considering he was still crying.

"You're right... my life has been pretty crazy... or, it was, back when... you were still here."

"You know... the first thing I remembered, was seeing through your eyes. Literally. I didn't think much of it, at first. I thought, maybe past lives were real, and I was seeing flashes of one. I didn't know yet that it was you. It wasn't until I remembered your face that I got confused. I recognized you, but I was confused."

"...and then you tried to tell me and I yelled at you...I'm sorry..."

"It's ok. I understand why you were upset. I was presenting you with an impossible situation, and asking you to accept it without question. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I fully realized it. I knew the past was important, and I knew the Puzzle was important. During that conversation I remembered a lot."

"You did...?"

"Mhm. And as soon as I'd spoken your nickname, I remembered what it felt like when we switched places. I realized the truth of our...relationship. Parasite and host. It took me a while to process, as I'm sure it did you, when you were experiencing it the first time."

"It must have been so confusing... and I told you not to talk about it...I'm sorry."

"Most everything slowly came back after that. And then I remembered the end. I remembered leaving you. I couldn't be alone anymore. I didn't care if I had to lie through my teeth as to why I was there, I needed to see you. I had to know I was still with you."

"So that's what happened last night..."

Yugi didn't care how much time was passing. He didn't care about anything in that moment other than the person in front of him.

"That's what happened last night."

"And I... I still didn't believe you..."

"You believe me now, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

There was silence between them for a minute, but it was anything but awkward. Both of them were content.

Yugi was going back through what had just been said.

"Yami?"

"Hm?"

"You know I never saw you as a parasite, don't you?"

"It's only accurate, Yuugi."

Yugi shook his head.

"No. I never saw you like that."

"But Yuugi, I... I possessed you. Frequently, and occasionally against your will."

"And I didn't mind."

"When I think about it now... in this life... it sounds frightening. I'd be scared, if the roles were reversed, and I was the one being possessed... I understand now, deeper than I possibly could have when we were together. You must have be so scared in the beginning..."

Yugi looked thoughtful.

"You know, the beginning was scary. Only because I didn't know what was going on. The duel with Kaiba scared me. I was scared at Death-T. But other than that, it was ok. I wasn't scared like you're thinking. Do you remember the times I willingly switched on you?"

"You did?"

"You don't remember. Just after Duelist Kingdom, I made you go on a 'date' with Anzu. It was the first time I figured out how to force you to switch places."

He blinked, as if that statement confused him.

"I don't remember that yet. I will, it'll just take time."

"That's ok." Yugi said, smiling now.

"Death T was the first time you knew what was happening, and still let it happen, wasn't it."

Yugi nodded.

"At first at Death T, I was terrified. I was putting the pieces together. I finished the Puzzle, and then just by chance, I start to black out every time I get angry or scared? It was too ironic. But when I first realized it, it scared me. But then, I needed you. I needed your help, and even though we couldn't talk, I wasn't afraid anymore. When my friends said they wouldn't leave me, I wasn't afraid anymore."

Silence again for a while, as both of them were processing what was said.

"Well," he started slowly, "It won't ever be that way again. I'll never have to do that to you again."

"Yami... I never minded... I wouldn't care if you did it again _right now._ I just missed you."

"This is amazing, Yuugi...for the first time since I've remembered... I can touch you. I can physically comfort you. I can hug you. This is...is..."

Yugi saw realization in his eyes.

"It felt real in our soul rooms..."

"Not for me..."

Yugi's eyes mirrored his realization.

"So... so it's like I got to hug you... to hold your hand... to feel you there, but... you couldn't feel the same...? Mou hitori no boku, I never knew... I thought you could feel it too..."

"No..."

Shock still in his eyes, he stood up, pulled Yugi out of his chair, and hugged him tight again.

"Yuugi..."

It wasn't until he heard the sharp intake of air, that he realized Yami was crying.

It was different this time. It wasn't the boy he adopted, crying. Not the teenager, who was bound to cry sometimes.

This was his Yami. His unbreakable darker half.

" _My_ Yuugi..."

And Yugi realized that he needed to be the one to comfort, this time. Like he had so many times before.

"A-After the Orichalcos ordeal... I wanted so badly to exist physically right alongside you...just for a minute...so I could do this..."

"The Seal..." Yugi hugged him back.

They stayed that way for long enough that it wouldn't have been acceptable or normal, to anyone else.

Yami cried, his head resting on Yugi's shoulder.

When he pulled away, he was shaking, just slightly.

"I never thought I'd get the chance...to be with you like this... to see you like this... to exist like this again..."

Yugi smiled.

"I didn't either."

"This lifetime...is going to be..." but he was crying too hard to finish his sentence.

"I want to spend it with you." Yugi said.

"I-I've gotten 16 extra years," he said between his sobs, "...and now... I get time with you... I... I..."

"The whole rest of my lifetime. I want to spend it with you. I missed you. I really missed you."

"Yuugi... Aibou..."

"We're going to make every minute of this, the best. I'll show you everything. I'm sure you remember living now, more than once, but there's still more you have to see. Forget school, I have money, you won't need it. We can see the world, if you want."

"Yuugi, slow down," he said, smiling now, "We have plenty of time. No limits, this time. No deadlines. No deadly hunts for lost memories. Just... life."

"Life...this'll technically be your... third?"

"That I know of."

"Well," Yugi started, full on grinning, now, "You know what they say,"

"Third time's the charm."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **And that, my friends, is the last chapter in this particular fic. If you've read this far, thank you so much! This is quite an old work, (2013 perhaps?) and it's age shows. I write these characters differently now, in a lot of ways, and I do hope I've improved since then. If you've gotten all the way through, I do hope you've enjoyed, and I hope you'll stick around for more where that came from!**


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